Method of producing suspended ceiling runners



sept. 29, 1964 M. D. JAHN 3,150,440

METHOD OF PRODUCING SUSPENDED CEILING RUNNERS Filed July 30, 1962 HM "HIHHIWHIw22-gyQLQWM HHHWWM MIIf @ggz

United States Patent O 3,150,440 METHGD F PRDUCING SUSPENDED CEILING RUNNERS Martin l). Jahn, Chicago, Ill., assgnor to Chicago Metallic Sash Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 30, 1962, Ser. No. 213,259 3 Claims. (Cl. 29-155) The invention relates generally to suspended ceiling structures, and more particularly to a novel method of forming a runner for such suspended ceiling structure.

The invention has among its objects the utilization of a novel method of forming runners which are of generally inverted T-shape, having an upright web portion of double thickness, connected along its top free edge by a tubular bead portion or the like and provided at its opposite end edges with a cross portion which may be covered at its exterior face with a suitable cap strip, the latter normally having its longitudinal edges bent or folded around the adjacent longitudinal free edges of the cross portion.

In certain ceiling installations it often is desirable to join runners end for end, and in runners of the type here involved employing web portions of double thickness, it is desirable to form the interlocking or connecting means from but a single thickness of material, such connecting means being so disposed that when the runners are joined end to end the web portions thereof will be in longitudinal alignment.

It is also desirable to fabricate the runners substantially completely, or at least to as great an extent as possible, while the material forming the same is in a continuous strip, thereby eliminating the handling of individual pieces, the last operation in the method preferably being to suitably sever the formed runners from such a continuous strip.

These results are achieved in the present invention by initially blanking the continuous strip of material to form the connecting means of adjacent ends of a pair of connected runners so that such connecting means will be in overlapping relation when the bending of the runner has been completed, and adjacent runner ends being connected by small connecting strips adjacent the longitudinal edges of the material forming the runner, and adjacent the longitudinal center thereof between adjacent runner connecting or interlocking means. Following the forming of the runner, a strip of cap material is associated therewith and suitably connected thereto, as for example, by folding the edges of the cap strip about the adjacent longitudinal edges of the runner, and thereafter suitably severing the connected runners at said connecting strips.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the end portion of a runner of the type adapted to be fabricated by utilization of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan development of a strip of sheet material from which the runners are fabricated, illustrating the removal of the sheet material during the first step of the method;

FIG. 3 is a plan View of the formed runner prior to the application of the cap strip thereto, with a portion of the central connecting strip, to be removed during the last step of the method, being broken away;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a pair of runner ends immediately after their severance; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

The invention thus contemplates the utilization of a method of producing runners for suspended ceiling structures which is particularly adapted for utilization of rolling operations, whereby the runners may be initially arsenic Patented Sept. 29, 1964 fabricated in a continuous operation, the last step of the operation being to sever the runners into individual lengths, each runner being of generally inverted T-shape, having a web portion and a transversely extending cross portion, the web portion being of double thickness, with means thereon for interlocking the end of the runner to another runner or any suitable connecting structure, such connecting means being fabricated of single thickness.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. l illustrates an end portion of a runner of the type adapted to be produced by the invention, the runner, indicated generally by the numeral 1, being of generally inverted T-shape and comprising a web portion indicated generally by the numeral 2, which in use is adapted to extend substantially vertically as illustrated, and having extending from its lower edge a transversely extending cross portion indicated generally by the numeral 3. Extending longitudinally from the end of the web portion 2 is suitable means indicated generally by the numeral 4 for connecting the end of the runner to another runner or suitable connecting member.

The web portion 2 of the runner is adapted to be formed from a single strip of suitable material which is formed with a longitudinally extending tubular bead portion 5 which connects the two plies 7a and 7b forming the web portion 2, each ply of the web portion -having at its lower free edge a laterally extending ange 8, the flanges lying in a common plane and forming the cross portion of the runner. In the runner illustrated, the cross portion formed by the tiange S is covered by a suitable cap strip 9, illustrated as having its free longitudinal edges 11 bent or folded around the free edges of the flanges 8 and imparting an ornamental appearance to the cross portion.

The particular runner illustrated is constructed with portions of the anges 8 adjacent the runner end being removed as indicated at 12, whereby the cross portion adjacent the end of the runner is thereby weakened to permit the same to deform under expansion forces resulting from the application of heat to a ceiling structure in which the runners may be employed.

The connecting means 4 comprises a pair of generally L-shaped tongues 13 and 14 formed from one of the plies of the web portion 2 and terminating at their outer ends in head portions 15 adapted to be interlocked with another runner or a suitable connecting member. For example, the runners may be provided with vertically extending slots 16 in the web portion thereof of a size to receive the tongues 13 and 14 of a transversely extending runner, the head portions 15 of vwhich are adapted to engage the web portion adjacent the ends of a slot 16 to prevent withdrawal of the tongues. As illustrated, the tongues 13 and 14 are separated by a slot 17, the inner end of which terminates in an enlarged circular opening 18 which reduces the vertical width of each tongue adjacent its connection with the web portion 1, whereby the tongues may be slightly iiexed toward one another to permit entry of the enlarged head portions 15 into a slot such as the slot 16. To facilitate such interlocking action the respective tongues may be provided with inclined edges 19 adapted to cam the tongues into such slot.

To facilitate supporting the runner in suspended relation, the web portion 2 may be provided with holes 20 therein adapted to receive supporting wires or other suitable means from which the runner may be suspended.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the runners are adapted to be formed in a continuous operation from a strip of material S having a transverse width equal to the corresponding dimensions of the various portions of the tinished runner, namely the width of the anges 8, the height of the web portions 7a and 7b, and the circumferential width of the bead 5. The strip is adapted to be fed into suitable forming means which, in the first step, is operative to cut out portions of the strip to define the openings 16, 20 and a pair of connecting means 4, each extending from one of the web portions 7a and 7b, one connecting means being associated with an end of one runner 1 `and the other connecting means being associated with the end of the adjacent runner 1'. It will be noted that the two runner ends partially defined by the removal of such material are connected at the flange portions 8 by connecting strips 2l and at the portion from which the bead is to be formed by a connecting strip 22, such strips being suicient to maintain the adjacent ends of the runner blanks in generally planar form, whereby the blank strip may be worked upon as a single continuous member. It will be appreciated that each runner will be similarly formed at its opposite ends, the left hand runner 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 having the connecting means 4 at its opposite end extending from the web portion 7b in a manner similar to that of the right hand runner 1.

Following the blanking of the strips, it is suitably formed, as for example, by rolling operation of the gen* eral cross section shape illustrated in FIG. 5, and as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 in plan and 4side elevation, respectively, the runner sections, however, still being connected by the portions 21 and 22, the latter portion of course being formed as an extension of the beads 5 and not illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Following the forming of strip S into the general runner configuration, the cap strip 9 is then suitably applied in continuous form, and in the case of a runner such as illustrated, the free edges of the cap strip are suitably rolled or otherwise bent around the adjacent free edges of the flanges 8 of the cross portion 3.

Following application of the cap strip, the connecting strips 21 and 22 as well as the portion of the cap strip extending transversely between the portions 21 are suitably cut away to sever the adjacent ends of the two runners, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

It will be noted that when the strip S is formed into generally T-shape, the two connecting means 4 will be disposed in overlapping relation, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, so that a minimum of waste material is removed in the first blanking oper-ation. It will also be noted that as the connecting means 4 at opposite ends of each runner are disposed on web portions 7a and 7b, when two runner ends are brought into aligned relation, the adjacent connecting means `4 may be disposed adjacent one another with the two runners in exact longitudinal alignment.

The configuration of the runner ends may be Widely varied t-o meet specific requirements and the specific configuration of such runner ends, as well as the connecting means illustrated, form no part of the present invention.

The invention thus permits the fabrication of a runner having a web portion of double thickness with the connecting means at each end thereof being constructed from a single thickness of material and each ply of the web portion carrying one of the connecting means.

It will be apparent from the above disclosure that I have provided a novel method of producing runners in which the latter may be formed from a single continuous strip yof material, suitably formed in the desired configuration, provided with a cap strip on the cross portion of the runner, and subsequently severed into individual strips.

Having thus described my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact sequence of steps described, configuration of runner illustrated, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is:

l. A method of forming, from a continuous strip of sheet material, suspended ceiling structure runners of generally inverted T-shape having an upright web portion of double thickness provided at its opposite ends with connecting means formed from a single thickness of the web portion, and a cross portion provided with a longitudinally extending cap strip, comprising the steps of removing laterally spaced portions of a strip of sheet material disposed at points longitudinally along said strip at which the latter is to be severed to form adjacent ends of a pair of runners, having connecting means for each runner end thereat, with the connecting means being disposed in laterally adjacent positions and the openings so formed defining strips intermediate said adjacent connecting means and at each longitudinal edge of the runner blanks with said strips connecting the end portions of the partially blanked runner ends, bending the blanked strip along the longitudinal center line thereof to form the runner web portion with the portions of the sheet material disposed in abutting parallel relation to form the web portions of double thickness and dispose the respective connecting means in overlapping relation, bending the longitudinal edge portions of the strip to form flanges lying in a common plane which comprise the respective cross portions of the runners, securing a cap strip to said cross portion and cutting said connecting strips and said cap strip to sever the adjacent ends of the runners thus formed.

2. A method of forming, from a continuous strip of sheet material, suspended ceiling structure runners of generally inverted T-shape having an upright web portion of double thickness provided at its opposite ends with connecting means formed from a single thickness of the web portion, and a cross portion provided with a longitudinally extending cap strip, comprising the steps of removing laterally spaced portions of a strip of sheet material disposed at points longitudinally along said strip at which the latter is to be severed to form adjacent ends of a pair of runners having connecting means for each runner end thereat, with the connecting means being disposed in laterally adjacent positions and the openings so formed defining strips intermediate said adjacent connecting means and at each longitudinal edge of the runner blanks with said strips connecting the end portions of the partially blanked runner ends, bending the blanked strip along the longitudinal center line thereof to form the runner web portion with the portions of the sheet material disposed in abutting parallel relation to form the web portion of double thickness and dispose the respective connecting means in overlapping relation, bending the longitudinal edge portions of the strip to form flanges lying in a common plane which comprise the respective cross portions of the runners, disposing a continuous cap strip along the outer face of said cross portion, bending the edges of said cap strip around the adjacent free longitudinal edges of said cross portion to secure the cap strip thereto, and cutting said connecting strips and said cap strip to sever the adjacent ends of the runners thus formed.

3. A method of forming, from a continuous strip of sheet material, suspended ceiling structure runners of generally inverted T-shape having an upright web portion of double thickness provided at its opposite ends with connecting means formed from a single thickness of the web portion, and a cross portion provided with a longitudinally extending cap strip, comprising the steps of removing laterally spaced portions of a strip of sheet material disposed at points longitudinally along said strip at which the latter is to be severed to form adjacent ends of a pair of runners having connecting means for each runner end thereat, with the connecting means being disposed in laterally adjacent positions and the openings so formed defining strips intermediate said adjacent conneoting means and at each longitudinal edge of the runner blanks with said strips connecting the end por; tions of the partially blanked runner ends, simultaneously removing portions of the material which are to form the ends of the cross portions of the runners whereby such end portions are weakened, bending the blanked strip along the longitudinal center line thereof to form the runner web portion With the portions of the sheet material disposed in abutting parallel relation to form the web portion of double thickness and dispose the respective connecting means in overlapping relation, bending the longitudinal edge portions of the strip to form flanges lying in a common plane which comprise the respective cross portions of the runners, disposing a continuous cap strip along the outer face of said cross portion, bending the edges of said cap strip around the adjacent free 1on gitudinal edges of said cross portion to secure the cap strip thereto, and cutting said connecting strips and said cap strip to sever the adjacent ends of the runners thus formed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A METHOD OF FORMING FROM A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL, SUSPENDED CEILING STRUCTURE RUNNERS OF GENERALLY INVERTED T-SHAPED HAVING AN UPRIGHT WEB PORTION OF DOUBLE THICKNESS PROVIDED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS WITH CONNECTING MEANS FORMED FROM A SINGLE THICKNESS OF THE WEB PORTION, AND A CROSS PORTION PROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CAP STRIP, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF REMOVING LATERALLY SPACED PORTIONS OF A STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL DISPOSED AT POINTS LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID STRIP AT WHICH THE LATTER IS TO BE SEVERED TO FORM ADJACENT ENDS OF A PAIR OF RUNNERS, HAVING CONNECTING MEANS FOR EACH RUNNER END THEREAT, WITH THE CONNECTING MEANS BEING DISPOSED IN LATERALLY ADJACENT POSITIONS AND THE OPENINGS SO FORMED DEFINING STRIPS INTERMEDIATE SAID ADJACENT CONNECTING MEANS AND AT EACH LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE RUNNER BLANKS WITH SAID STRIPS CONNECTING THE END PORTIONS OF THE PARTIALLY BLANKED RUNNER ENDS, BENDING THE BLANKED STRIP ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE THEREOF TO FORM THE RUNNER WEB PORTION WITH THE PORTIONS OF THE SHEET MATERIAL DISPOSED IN ABUTTING PARALLEL RELATION TO FORM THE WEB PORTIONS OF DOUBLE THICKNESS AND DISPOSE THE RESPECTIVE CONNECTING MEANS IN OVERLAPPING RELATION, BENDING THE LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTIONS OF THE STRIP TO FORM FLANGES LYING IN A COMMON PLANE WHICH COMPRISE THE RESPECTIVE CROSS PORTIONS OF THE RUNNERS, SECURING A CAP STRIP TO SAID CROSS PORTION AND CUTTING SAID CONNECTING STRIPS AND SAID CAP STRIP TO SEVER THE ADJACENT ENDS OF THE RUNNERS THUS FORMED. 